Automatic hose coupler



Feb. v 28, 1939.

C. DA VAI-.LE

AUTOMATIC HOSE f COUPLER Original Filed Ag. 5, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l role.

INI/EN @a A TTORNEY.

Feb. 28, 1939. c. DA VALLE y 2,148,901

AUTOMATIC HOSE COUPLER Original Filed Au-g. 5, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNEY (n INVENTOR.

BYv

Patented Feb. 28, 1939 uml-1r En STATI-:s

PATENT OFFICE Original application August 5, 1935,xSe1jial No.

34,710, now Patent No. 2,108,307, dated February 15, 1938;

Divided and this application February 1, 1937, Serial No. 123,389

Claims.

This. invention' relates to4 hoseV couplers and particularly tohose-.couplers that are adapted to form a connection between a truck and trailer usinga trailer coupler ofv the` general type disclosed in my. Patent No. 2,108,307, which issued February l5', 1938, `from a co-pending application entitled"Trailer` cou`pler`,'filedy August 5, 1935, 'Serial'No 34,710, of'which the present application is a division.

It is thev object of the present invention to provide a hosecoupler that willautomatically bring into. operative relationship the vacuum or pressure hoses used on trucks and trailers or other traction units when the units are coupled together, in an eflicientY and dependable manner.

A further. object of the invention is the construction of a hosecoupler that is precise and dependable in its operation, yet so arranged in a truck andf trailer coupler thatY it is adequately protected Vagainst-damage due to the shock of rapidcoupling and uncoupling operations.

A' still further obj e'ctof the invention is the inclusion in an'automatic hose coupler of a novel devicey for` coupling electric circuits automaticall'y` and coincidentallywith the coupling of the' air lines.

Further objects and ladvantages of the invention will be made apparent in the following speciflcation wherein .reference is made to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred form ofthe invention.

In the drawings- Fig. l is a'planfview' ofthe rear' end of a'truck showing a. trailer coupling mechanism thereon,

.. and an automatic 'hose coupler constructed in accordance with" my invention;

Fig. 2 is a' similar' vi'ew of thetrailer coupler, but showing the flfth'wheel of a trailer moving into `coupled position; y

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view in section of a portionk of the' coupling `mechanism showing the manner in which thehose coupler cooperates therewith; and

llgxi'isany enlarged vertical section of the hose coupler itself.

InFigii' 1, the rear end of a'truck chassis is illustrated at I0; This chassis'isprovided with not illustrated-in the present drawings but which is clearly shown andi described in my co-pending application above referred to, carries a transverse bar (see Fig. 2) which supports for pivotal movement a trailer fth wheel 2| by means of brackets' 25' extending upwardly from its top surface. The fth wheel 2| is supported in such a position by the trailer that when the truck is backed toward the trailer,v the fth wheelv engages the apron I5, slides up the apron, andlo comes to rest centrally of the plate I2. A pair of arcuate jaws 26 are pivoted to the plate I2 by pins shown in dotted lines at 2l and are provided with inner curved edges 28 of the same radius as the periphery of the fth wheel 2I. The jaws 26 normally occupy the position illustrated in Fig. l, but upon movement of the fifth wheel into its coupled position, it strikes the inner edges of the jaws and moves them as illustrated in Fig. 2 toward a closed position. A latchl20 30 is urged by a spring 3I to a position between the forward ends of the jaws to prevent the removal of the fifth wheel. A rod 32 connected with this latch may extend forwardly to the drivers compartment of the truck where it may/ 25 be manipulated to withdraw the latch from its position between the jaws for the purpose of releasing the trailer.

All of the mechanism set forth in the general description above is clearly described in my c0^30 pending application hereinbefore referred to. In said application, there is also described in detail the workings of a Vacuum brake system on the truck and trailer and automatic means for setting the" brakes ofthe trailer when it is disen-V gaged from the truck. The particular brake system used on the truck trailer forms no part of the present invention, and it is to be understood that vacuum and pressure brake systems are conksidered equivalents from the point of View Gr.40

the present application, as the present invention has to do with vthe automatic connection of the brake systems of the truck and trailer, and is equally well adapted to either type of brake system.

In order that the coupling and the uncoupling operations may be entirely automatic, the present invention provides the following mechanism for connecting vacuum or pressure lines of the truck and trailer as wellA as the electric lighting circuits `of the two. The fifthV wheel 2i of the trailer and the plate I 2 ofthe truck upon which it rests are centrally perforated to receive diskshaped coupling` members 35 and 36 respectively. rIhe kmember 36 oni-fthe truck is supported for turning movement, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, on ball bearings 3l, a race for which is formed in an annular bracket 38 of angular cross-section secured to the bottom of the plate I2 by bolts 39. The coupling member on the fifth wheel is urged downwardly by springs 40 which surround pins 4l guided for verticalmovement through a bracket 42 which spansthe opening in the fifth wh-eel occupied by the coupling member and, is secured at its ends to the flfth wheel by bolts 43. The lower -outer edge of the disklike member 35 extends downwardly to protect the greater area of the bottom surface of this member and is beveled as at 44 so that as the fth wheel rides over the plate I2 to the position where the coupling members register with each other, the disk 35 will be pressed downwardly by the springs 46 into close contact with the lower coupling member 35. The edges of the opening in the plate l2 are similarly beveled to assist in centering the member 35 with relation to the member 36, and for the further purpose of facilitating separation of these members by causing the member 35 to ride out of the perforation in which it seats when the truck and trailer are uncoupled and drawn apart. Complementary beveled surfaces are formed on the disks 35 and 35 to register with each other as illustrated at 44a to insure exact centering of the disks with relation to each other.

The contacting faces of the coupling members 35and 36 are provided with complementary imbedded gaskets 45, ridges 46 and annular grooves 4l to form separate sealed concentric annular chambers through which the Vacuum or pressure connections of the brake systems may be connected. The rgaskets are of rubber or other material suitable for forming an air-tight joint. Fittings 48 communicate with these chambers through the coupling member 35 and with ilexible conduits 43a leading to the trailer vacuum system; similar ttings 49 communicate with the grooves 4l and with suitable conduits 49a leading to the brake system of the truck. The conduits in both cases are sufficiently flexible so that free swinging movement of the fifth wheel is permitted and slight rotary movement of the coupling member 36 on its .bearings 3l will be possible, as is necessary to permit the coupled truck and trailer to round a corner.Y

The coupling member just described is so oonstructed that it will form perfectly tight fluid connections between the brake systems of the truck and trailer, and is formed of accurately machined relatively delicately rconstructed parts,

these parts being adequately protected against undue shock because of the manner in which the upper disk 35 is supported and constructed. When the disk 35 -rides over the plate l2, its lower outer edges support it in a position preventing any contact of its bottom face with the plate l2 which would cause destruction of the gaskets and finely machined parts thereof. At the same time, the beveled edges 44 and'44a of this disk permit it to be snapped into perfectly registering position with the disk 36 at the instant that the coupling operation of the truck and trailer is completed.

In order to form a connection between the electric lighting system or" the truck and the electric system of the trailer, the coupling members 35 and 35 are provided with centrally positioned aligned holes 54 and 55, respectively, to receive electric contact members which are brought into contact with each other during the. coupling operation. The hole 55 contains a dielectric plug 5l which may be secured in place by screws 58 passing through a bottom flange thereon, and whichv supports a contact member 59 connected by a'wire 60 with the lighting circuit of the truck. The hole 54 contains a slidable dielectric plunger 6l which supports a contact member 62 in a position to engage the contact member 59. A spring 63 is interposed between the back of the plunger 6| and a cover 64 secured over the top of the hole 54 by means oi screws 65. This spring urges the contact member 63 downwardly into firm en-gagement with the member 59. A wire Sla. forms a connection between the contact member 62 andthe lighting circuit of the trailer.

The electrical connection here shown is designed for a single wire lighting circuit where a ground is made throughout Vthe framework of the truck and trailer. The same principles may be employed, however, for a multiple wire connection simply by replacing the contact members 59 and 62 by conventional concentrically spaced annular contact members.

The resiliently mounted contact memberV 52, being carried by the upper disk 35, is protected from damage in the coupling and uncoupling operation in the same manner as the gaskets 45 by means of the downwardly projecting annulus on the bottom of the disk.

While certain features of the present invention are more or less specifically described, it is toV be understood that Various changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the several parts thereof within the spirit and scope of the-35 resiliently supported and urged to enter the said` recess when aligned therewith.

2. For combination with a trailer coupler comprising a fth wheel on a trailer and a plate on the'truck over which the fifth wheel slides to its coupled position, a hose coupling comprising a disk rotatably mounted in a recess in said plate, a complementary disk carried by the fifth wheel of the trailer and resiliently urged toward the rst disk, and beveled edges on said disks and said recess to facilitate insertion and registry of the disks when they are brought into alignment and to cause them to move out of registry when the truck and trailer are drawn apart.

3. A hose coupling" comprising a pair of disks having registering faces with complementary annular concentric grooves to form spaced fluid chambers, annular sealing members adjacent said grooves, a flat plate having an opening formed therein, means supporting one of said disks beprotecting the sealing members from contact with the plate, said projection fitting within the plate opening to permit the registering faces of the disks to cometogether.

4. In ahose coupling, a ilat platehaving an opening formed therein, a pair of disks having registering faces with complementary grooves and sealing means, means for rotatably supporting` one of said disks behind the opening in said flat plate, the other disk being slidable over said plate, and means for urging the disks together When the said other disk registers with the opening in the plate.

5. A hose coupling comprising a pair of relatively slidable plates, complementary coupling disks mounted one on each of said plates, one of said plates having an annular opening concentric with the disk mounted upon it, said opening having a beveled edge, the disk on the other plate having a beveled annular projection fitting said opening when the disks are brought together.

CONRAD DA VALLE. 

